Giovani Lo Celso’s Tottenham Hotspur career may always remain a mystery.
Signed for £27million ($35m) from Real Betis in 2020, the Argentina midfielder never really hit the heights expected at Spurs.
This summer, after just 10 goals in 108 appearances and two loan spells at Villarreal, the 28-year-old midfielder returned to Betis for £10million. He has been transformed by former Manchester City and West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini, scoring five goals in six La Liga matches.
He is not the only standout player who has slipped under the radar in Europe’s top four leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A). The Athletic have picked the eight players (two from each league) who have maybe not received the credit they deserve.
Manchester City boast the best attack in the Premier League with 19 goals in eight games. Erling Haaland has scored 10 times, while wingers Jeremy Doku (one goal, one assist) and Savinho (three assists) have received praise for their impact.
However, one player whose contributions have been overlooked — a recurring theme throughout his seven-year tenure at the Etihad Stadium — is Bernardo Silva. City’s Swiss Army Knife has quietly put in one good shift after another, popping up in a variety of areas on the right flank and helping his side recycle possession in Rodri’s absence.
Having managed five assists in 34 league games last season, Bernardo now has three in eight matches. His 4.1 shot-creating actions from open-play passes per 90 places him in the top seven per cent of midfielders in the division.
The Portugal midfielder’s ball-carrying has been crucial for City amid Kevin De Bruyne’s absence and Phil Foden’s slow start. Bernardo’s 2.8 carries into the penalty area per 90 is the highest among all midfielders in the league.
Lemina has comfortably been the best player in statistically the worst team in the Premier League. Wolves are bottom of the table with a solitary point from eight games and the worst goal difference (-13), having shipped the most goals (23).
Lemina, however, has been combative in midfield as the examples below show. The Gabon international’s 3.0 tackles attempted per 90 places him in the top 31 per cent of midfielders and his 80 per cent success rate while tackling dribblers is comfortably the highest in the league.
Lemina, who was appointed Wolves’ captain in the summer after Maximilian Kilman’s departure to West Ham United, has contributed offensively, scoring and assisting once apiece. He will hope his next goal contribution brings a Wolves win.
Honourable mentions: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth).
Among Europe’s four major leagues, the Bundesliga has seen the most goals per game this season at 3.46, followed by the Premier League (2.88), Serie A (2.73) and La Liga (2.57).
The apparent goal fest has not affected Leipzig, however, with Marco Rose’s men conceding only two goals in seven games, keeping five clean sheets. Their defence has been decent, but opponents have created more than 1.0 xG (a measure of how many goals a team is expected to score in a game based on the quality of shots before they are taken) in four of Leipzig’s seven league games.
This suggests that Gulacsi’s fantastic start is a major reason for their stellar defensive record.
Leipzig’s opponents have created an xGOT (similar to xG but calculates the quality of shots after they are taken) of 5.4 overall, but Gulacsi’s heroics in goal — be it from long, close, or point-blank range as seen below — has rendered them largely ineffective.
His reflexes have been sharp, as has his distribution (82 per cent passing accuracy, including 51 per cent on long passes).
After making just 13 league appearances last season due to an anterior cruciate knee ligament (ACL) injury suffered in October 2022, Gulacsi has established himself as arguably the best goalkeeper in the league early in this season, and showed that form in Leipzig’s midweek Champions League game with Liverpool.
Stoger joined Monchengladbach on a free transfer this summer upon the expiration of his contract with VfL Bochum and, seven games in, it feels like he could be the signing of the season.
The 31-year-old went under the radar last season despite managing seven goals and 10 assists in 31 Bundesliga games, helping Bochum stave off relegation. Stoger’s 127 chances created was the highest across Europe’s top four leagues. This season, he sits second with 29 chances created behind Barcelona forward Raphinha (36 in nine games).
Playing as an attacking No 8 with the freedom to drift, Stoger has caused more damage from central areas in comparison to last season — while remaining effective from the left — and has developed an encouraging partnership with centre-forward Tim Kleindienst, who arrived in the summer from Heidenheim.
Additionally, Stoger poses a significant threat from set pieces. His 2.8 shot-creating actions from dead-ball passes per 90 is the highest among Bundesliga midfielders.
Honourable Mentions: Ermedin Demirovic (Stuttgart), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg), Diogo Leite (Union Berlin)
One of many exciting young players in Serie A, Cambiaso has begun the season in superb form. The 24-year-old has started seven of the Old Lady’s eight league games — even captaining them against Lazio over the weekend — while playing every minute of their first two Champions League encounters.
Cambiaso’s experience playing under Juventus manager Thiago Motta, who managed him at Bologna during the 2022-23 season, has proved invaluable. His versatility is admirable as he can play on either flank as a winger, full-back or wing-back.
This is made possible by Cambiaso’s two-footedness. The Italian, who has played as a left-back and a right winger for the Azzurri, can wreak havoc cutting inside — as he did to score in Juventus’ 3-0 win over Como in their opener — but also seems to have improved his crossing. Cambiaso has found a team-mate with 33 per cent of his open-play crosses in the league this season, up from 24 per cent last season and 17 per cent in 2022-23.
He has become a mainstay for Italy, playing all 90 minutes in three of their four Nations League matches across September and October after starting just twice across his first seven caps.
Ricci is another player who featured regularly for Italy in the most recent international breaks. Playing as one of the deep-lying midfielders in a 3-5-2, the 23-year-old has provided much-needed control to a Torino side that have scored and conceded 14 goals apiece in their first eight league games.
Ricci is excellent when in possession, constantly keeping the ball moving and demanding it back from his team-mates.
As the chart below shows, Ricci has been pivotal to Torino’s build-up play. Much of this is made possible by his clever off-the-ball movement and ability to wriggle out of tight spaces. Ricci is excellent at protecting the ball; among all Serie A midfielders to have played at least 600 minutes, he has lost possession the third-fewest times (51).
With his contract expiring in the summer of 2026, more impressive performances in the coming months will only see his stock grow.
Honourable Mentions: Dennis Man (Parma), Mattia Viti (Empoli), Valentin Castellanos (Lazio).
Carlo Ancelotti’s team is packed with stars but Tchouameni has become increasingly important.
After a slow start from player and club, the France midfielder’s uptick in form has coincided with some improved displays from the team. They have won seven of their last nine games across all competitions, with just one defeat (1-0 away to Lille in the Champions League).
Tchouameni has played in a deeper midfield position in comparison to his first two campaigns in Madrid, while featuring as a centre-back when required. This prompted some initial issues but he looked much more at home before the October international break. He put in a strong showing in their 2-1 win over Celta Vigo last weekend as well.
Tchouameni’s 93 per cent passing accuracy is the highest among midfielders in the league, as are his 2.3 interceptions per 90. He has won 72 per cent of his aerial duels — well over the league average of 47 per cent for midfielders — and is displaying the consistency and in-possession ability that convinced Madrid to sign him from Monaco in 2022.
If you have as many league goals as Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Barcelona’s Raphinha, you are doing something right.
Having rejoined Real Betis on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, Lo Celso has hit the ground running in familiar territory. The Argentina midfielder has scored five times in six La Liga games, including winners against Getafe and Espanyol.
Lo Celso was criticised during his spell at Tottenham but his qualities have been on show at Betis. He is the fulcrum of Pellegrini’s side, operating as the No 10 in a 4-2-3-1 shape. His positioning and willingness to receive the ball in tight spaces have been crucial to his goalscoring, as the strikes below against Espanyol and Mallorca show.
Lo Celso has had 20 touches in the opposition box, as many as he managed in 22 Premier League appearances last term. Additionally, he has created 15 chances and is averaging 6.7 passes into the attacking third per 90.
The midfielder’s goalscoring streak may not be sustainable, but his importance cannot be understated. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury sustained during the international break looks set to sideline him for a while.
Honourable Mentions: Oscar Mingueza (Celta Vigo), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Alberto Moleiro (Las Palmas).
(Top photos: Getty Images)
